What Needs to Happen for the Cardinals to Beat the Lions

What Needs to Happen for the Cardinals to Beat the Lions

So, What Needs to Happen for the Arizona Cardinals to Beat the Detroit Lions?

Week 1 showed the Cardinals their weaknesses right away. Weaknesses that even the fans chose to ignore. Even I thought that having a quarterback would fix everything, but it didn’t. Here are a few things that the Cardinals have to do in order to beat the Lions on Sunday.

1. Pick your poison
Reggie Bush or Calvin Johnson? Who do you plan to stop? Can you stop either? You definitely can’t stop both. Last week the Cardinals showed trouble stopping the run which makes me think that the Cardinals will focus on keeping Calvin Johnson quiet. Patrick Peterson is excited for an opportunity to shine and to really put the game on his shoulders. I think if the Cardinals can limit Calvin Johnson, they will have a good chance to slow down that high powered offense.

2. Attack the quarterback
Another way to stop Calvin Johnson would be to make Matthew Stafford’s Sunday miserable. In week 1 the Cardinals were unable to shake Sam Bradford. That has to change this week.  Calais Campbell, Dan Williams, Darnell Dockett, and John Abraham will have a big task ahead of them. If Todd Bowles can scheme up a way for those for guys to get to the quarterback, the Cardinals will have a chance at this game.

3. Continue the offensive strides.
The Cardinals need to build off of their ability to move the ball from week 1. The main area that needs to improve is the offensive tackle play. Every man on that offensive line is going to have to give every ounce against that mean Detroit defensive line. Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairly, and Ezekiel Ansah will all be itching to get to Carson Palmer. The Cardinal’s offensive line desperately needs to limit the pass rushers if they want to win this game.

I’m looking for a good game all around and will hopefully be able to post my halftime reaction live from University of Phoenix Stadium.